MAMEWorld Forums - The Loony Bin - Re: Not so good news

Bios, good comments. But your points assume it's because we're Americans, but it's not. ANY person in international waters is in areas not covered by ANY nations laws, and so that person is literally on their own. Even if you sail in international waters unarmed, IMHO you're a fool. Even going from from Florida to US islands you should be armed... because there is no 911 on open waters... it's you versus your attacker, and drug runners and fugitives sail those waters regularly. You can call for mayday, and hope in a few hours a merchant or nearby vessel will help you, but its a long shot.

"So if I travel through waters not ruled by anyone I can freely stay there like in my own home"

Yes you can. Again, you are on your own to defend yourself by any means available. And others may want your spot... or your boat... or your wife... Short of claiming citizenship of a country, you have no Government's protections.

"if the victims were not USA citizens you wouldn't give a damn about it."

Here, you're talking in a bit of a circle. Do you want the US to worry about it's own, or worry about everyone? Earlier you critisized the US for getting involved in everyone's business, and now in the same post you critize them for NOT. Well, honestly, let each person let their own country worry about their own citizens. Yes, I would sympathize with the victims, but where is their governmnet to protect them? The pirates currently hold 60 boats and 300 hostages... in part because other governments do literally NOTHING about their citizens being captured. It's not the US's job to protect the whole damn world... just it's own citizens. So yeah, the few times Americans are captured, I give a damn. The many many times other people are captured, I care, but its frustrating watching other governments just pay off the pirates with a nice big fat reward, so they do it again and again with better boats, better weapons, and better training. IMO the3 rest of the world is CREATING the problem by paying those ransoms.

Someone made the comment that I feel this way because it's not me in that situation.. which they say only because they don't know I WAS in that situation. I don't talk about it much, but I was classified MIA in Iraq when my unit accidently left me behind, and I defended and evaded capture for over 3 hours before getting myself back with a sister US unit. If captured, I've been through SERE school to teach me how to survive being a hostage, and would fully expect that it's up to me to escape on my own, or die trying.

As far as sending a missile strike into governless lawless land to take out a pirate stronghold... what's the problem? Do you want to arrest the pirates there? Under who'se laws? Theirs? It's their land. Yours? Your laws don't apply. Appeal to their government? They have none, which is the whole point. Maybe a harsh letter on nice stationairy will stop them? What's your solution?

Not trying to be overly aggressive with you, but you highlight the reason we still have such a world problem with them... other countries do nothing except pay them off. Woopee.